Indianapolis, IN

Animal Care Services out of space, asks people to adopt to ‘save more lives’

Published

2 months ago

December 6, 2025

Animal Care Services out of space, asks people to adopt to ‘save more lives’

Indianapolis Animal Care Services announced Dec. 6 that they are out of space at their 2600 South Harding Street animal shelter, urging people in a post online to adopt pets.

Adopting a pet makes room for the next animal that comes into the shelter, officials said. Same-day adoptions are an option, according to the online post, and foster-to-adopt options are also available.

“That’s the truth. We are completely out of kennel space, and animals are continuing to come in,” the post read. “The only way we can save more lives is if pets leave the building today.”

The situation is particularly dire for dogs, according to an updated post on Facebook. There were 227 dogs in the shelter and 210 kennels, putting the shelter at 108% capacity. There were 61 cats and 91 feline kennels, putting capacity at 67%. Shelter officials said they try to operate at about 80% capacity to ensure they can provide quality care and be prepared for emergencies.

The post said that short-term fostering of animals still helps make room and space needed at the shelter.

Kelly LaRoche with the shelter told IndyStar that they are over capacity, “which unfortunately has become our normal operating state.”

“At this point, we have no open kennels available for incoming animals,” LaRoche said. “When we say we urgently need adopters today, that is not an exaggeration. Without adoptions or fosters creating space, we have nowhere to safely house the animals still coming through our doors.”

LaRoche said they only put animals in the same kennel if they come to the shelter as a bonded pair or if they were previously living together. As long as their behaviors are calm and neither is sick, they can share one kennel.

Placing animals that don’t know each other together creates a risk of fighting and injury, according to LaRoche, as well as the possibility of spreading disease.

“We anticipate needing adopters and fosters not just today, but every day for the foreseeable future,” LaRoche said. “The pressure on space does not let up, and our intake as an open-admission municipal shelter does not stop.”

Here’s how you can help

If you have questions about adopting, you can email the shelter at adoptions@indycares.org.

You can find out more about individual animals at the shelter by checking out their posts on Facebook.

Jade Jackson is a public safety reporter for the Indianapolis Star. You can email her at Jade.Jackson@IndyStar.com and follow her on X, formerly Twitter @IAMJADEJACKSON.

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Indianapolis, IN

IU lands back in Indiana with extra carry-on: A national championship

Published

9 hours ago

January 20, 2026

Press Room

IU lands back in Indiana with extra carry-on: A national championship

The Indiana Hoosiers flew back to Indianapolis on Jan. 20 with one additional carry-on: a national championship trophy.

One by one as the sun was setting, the players on the IU football team disembarked a United charter flight at the Indianapolis International Airport and boarded a handful of coach buses to take them the rest of the way back to Bloomington, where celebrations will continue into the coming days and weekend. Some players wore shorts as they stepped out into the bitter Indiana cold while others were bundled up in pajama pants.

Starting quarterback and Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza had on shorts and a pair of shiny gold headphones as he exited with his team.

And less than 24 hours after he led his team to a perfect 16-0 season and the first national championship in program history, IU football head coach Curt Cignetti, known for his dour expressions, offered a wave and a slight smile to a small crowd of local media as he walked the short distance to the bus.

Though there was no iconic trophy lift as the team exited the plane, the hardware will be arriving in Bloomington soon enough.

A handful of fans used some savvy flight tracking skills to find the team’s flight and braved the cold to see a glimpse of the buses leaving the private charters terminal on the north side of the airport.

Karen and Mel Fletcher from Greenwood staked out a spot outside the airport as they waited for the team to land and head to Bloomington. Between the two of them, the couple had three kids graduate from IU, and the pair have been waiting decades for a national championship.

“We came out early and just hopefully, we could see them,” Karen Fletcher said.

The Fletchers had high praise for the Hoosiers as the motorcade passed by.

“It was a great team, a great bunch of guys. Fantastic coach. And they did it,” Karen Fletcher said.

Alysa Guffey writes business, health and development stories for IndyStar. Have a story tip? Contact her at amguffey@usatodayco.com or on X: @AlysaGuffeyNews.

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Indianapolis, IN

Neighbors honor retiring mailman for 20 years of service

Published

20 hours ago

January 20, 2026

Press Room

Neighbors honor retiring mailman for 20 years of service

One Indiana mailman’s retirement has brought the community together to honor his 20 years of work.

Residents of one Indianapolis area neighborhood worked together to honor “Mr. Kenny, “who’s also lived in that same neighboorhood for over three decades.

According to neighbors, he has always been a light in the neighborhood, going above and beyond what was required of his job.

Mr. Kenny described the neighborhood as more than a job, also saying they are like family.

“Kids in the neighborhood did pictures, you know, they would make pictures for me. I used to work six days a week so I would see these people everyday and then it just became like we were family, you know they treated me like their family,” said Kenneth Caldwell, mailman.

Because for Kenny, being there for his community was more than delivering letters and packages.

What we don’t know is what Kenny’s future plans are.

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Indianapolis, IN

Suspect sought after Indiana judge, wife shot inside home

Published

1 day ago

January 19, 2026

Press Room

Suspect sought after Indiana judge, wife shot inside home

A manhunt was underway on Monday for whoever shot an Indiana judge and his wife on Sunday afternoon.

Tippecanoe Superior Court 2 Judge Steve Meyer and his wife, Kim, were injured in a shooting at their home, Chief Justice of Indiana Hon. Loretta H. Rush said in a letter.

The shooting occurred at approximately 2:15 p.m. at the couple’s residence in Lafayette, Indiana, which is approximately 60 miles northwest of Indianapolis. Officers arrived and located both victims, who were taken to a nearby hospital in stable condition, reported WTHR, the NBC affiliate in Indianapolis. In an update on Monday, Lafayette police said Steve Meyer suffered an injury to his arm, while Kimberly Meyer suffered a hip injury.

Rush said police were still looking for the suspect.

Lafayette police said “an active and ongoing joint investigation” was underway.

Anyone with information about the shooting was asked to call police at 765-807-1200.

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